The Forgotten Art of Building and Using a Brick Bake Oven

Book excerpt: First published by Yankee Magazine in 1977, this book remains the authority on how old-time brick ovens were designed and used. The book explains the evolution of the brick oven from the 17th through the 19th centuries, out lines the basic points to consider in building such an oven today, and describes in detail construction of a brick oven, ash pit complex, including the tools required, procedures to be followed, types of brick and mortar, lintels and doors, plans, dimensions, and actual brickwork, graphically illustrated with photographs, diagrams and drawings. Also covered is how to heat and use such an oven, once built. Richard M. Bacon has written numerous articles for such publications as Yankee Magazine and the Sunday New York times. He also wrote The Yankee Book of Forgotten Arts, Simon & Schuster, 1978.